Fluid pump



1960 1.. L. SHELTON 2,943,230

FLUID PUMP Filed April 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1r /a 26 a /4 r 40 x r a? 22- L w 2r 5? it 58011-1? I 50 60 l 4a 50 ,4 TTORNE Aug. 9, 1960 1.. L. SHELTON FLUID PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15, 1957 INVENTOR. Zl/fil L. 5/26/78 FLUIDPUMP. H

Luther L. Shelton, Kansas City,l\" Io.", assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Industrial Research Company, Kansas City, M0.,' a partnership This invention relates to a rotary fluid pump and has for its primary object the provision of "a novel-piston in the nature of a swash plate for effecting movement'of fluid through the casing thereof in complete absence of moving parts other than rotation of the piston and its associated parts, together with a novel reciprocable partition actuated by the piston.

i g It is the most important object of the instant invention to provide a piston for -a fluid pump of the aforementioned character formed in a manner and associated properly with an intake and an exhaust port of the casing of the pump to draw fluid into the chamber within which the piston rotates simultaneously with the exhausting of the fluid from the chamber on opposite sides of a reciprocable. partition disposed to separate the ports and thereby present a pair of compartments in conjunction with the shape and configuration of the piston itself.

Another important object of the instant invention is to provide a fluid pump of the aforementioned character wherein the fluid is caused to flow continuously through the pump by virtue of the fact that the pumping action just above mentioned, operates on both sides of the piston.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a fluid pump having a piston in the nature of a plate set obliquely on its drive shaft and shaped to present a pair of diametrically opposed, oppositely facing portions that are in constant, substantially lined contact with opposed walls of the cylinder, to the end that such portions cooperate with the aforementioned partition in presenting a pair of compartments oneach' side respectively of the piston.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a fluid pump as above described, a reciprocable partithat the piston of the instant invention has its faces in perpendicular relationship to the axis of rotation thereof throughout the circumferential length of. both faces of the piston. a I

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved partition for the aforementioned purposes which comprises a pair of face-to-face plates biased in opposite directions into substantial line contact with opposite faces of the piston at the above mentioned piston-receiving slot of the partition.

Other objects include the way in which the casing itself is provided with passages interconnecting the intake ports and exhaust ports of the two sections of the chamber to the end that all fluid flows to the casing, as well as from the casing through common conduits; 'the way in which to the partition on opposite sides thereof so that the the intake and exhaustports are disposed relatively close 2,948,236 Patented Aug. 9, 1960 piston comemnces its function of drawing fluid into the chamber during each cycle immediately after completion of its exhaust stroke; and many important details of construction for rendering the entire assembly easy and inexpensive to produce and maintain.

In the'drawings: e

Fig. 1 is an endelevational view of a fluid pump made pursuant to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig.3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on 'IineIII- -HI of Fig. 2.. Fig. '4' is a cross-sectional view taken on line IVIV of'Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 2, the mounting' clamp 'and cover plateshown in Figs. l3 having beenremoved.

Fig. 6-is a cross-sectional view taken on line Vl-VI ofFig. 3..

Fig. 7 is a fragmnetary, cross-sectional view taken on line VIIVII of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on 'line VIIIVIII of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, elevational view of the reciprocable partition entirely removed from the casing, parts being broken away for clearness.

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view through the partition shown in Fig.' 9 illustrating the manner of attaching the coil springs to the plates forming the partition.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view through the piston removed from the casing substantially on line III-III of Fig. 2 but in the opposite direction. A i

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 11 but with the piston rotated to a different position from Figs. 3 and 111; and

Fig. 13 is an elevational view of the piston showing a portion of the partition in section and illustrating sche- 'matically the relative positions of one of the intake and one of the exhaust ports with respect to the partition.

A casing broadly designated by the numeral 14 is medially split to present a pair of similar sections 16 and 18 relea'sably held together with a plurality of fasteners 20, arranged in an arcuate pattern as seen in Figs. 1 and 4.

Casing 14 is formed to present a cylindrical chamber 22 presenting therefore, a pair of opposed, flat, circular walls 24 and 26 and an annular wall 28 spanning the distance transversely thereof between the walls 24 and 26.

The chamber 22 houses anespecially formed piston broadly designated by the numeral 30 and somewhat in the nature of a conventional swash plate in that it is set on circular hub 32 obliquely of the latter as is apparent for example in Figs. 3 and |1:1-l3.

Hub 32 is provided with a pair of opposed, flat, circular faces '34 and 36 which bear flatly against the walls 24 and 26 respectively, it being noted that piston 30 in the form of the invention chosen for illustration, is an integral partof the rotatable element or hub 32. v

The axis of rotation of hub 32 and, therefore, piston 30, is concentric with the wall 28 and to this end there is provided a shaft 38 extending through hub 32 and to which the latter is keyed, a plurality of bearings 40 carried by the casing 14 journaling the shaft 38 and the latter being driven fro'rn'any suitable prime mover (not shown) operably coupled with a pulley or the like 42 on the shaft 38 (see Figs. 1 and 2). I

Casing 14 has an integral boss 44 extending radially therefrom and provided with a flat, substantially rectangular face 46 (Fig. 5) to which is attached a cover plate '48 by means of, a number of fasteners 50. An elongated slot 52 within the boss 44 extending throughout the length of casing 14 from end to end thereof and transversely V radial to the chamber 22, extends into the latter or tra-..

56 sliding along the wall which forms the innermost end 54 of slot 52. It is to be noted that the plate 48 covers the slot 52 and, therefore, slidably receives the outermost longitudinal edge of the reciprocable partition 56.

Fluid is directed into the chamber 22 by means of a conduit 58 and from the chamber 22 by means of a conduit 60. For purposes of illustration, the conduit 60 is shown as a part of a clamp 62, permitting mounting of the pump for example, on a cylinder of an internal combustion engine in the event that the pump is used as a fuel injector with the conduit 58. coupled with a carburetor. Clamp 62 is mounted on the face 46 of boss 44 in engagement with the plate 48, but it is to be understood that clamp 62 forms no part of the instant invention and that the fluid may be directed to. other points of use through conduits differing from that illustrated at 60 in the drawings.

An intake port 64 extending inwardly from face 46 communicates with conduit 58 and with chamber 22 by virtue of the fact that itopens through wall 261 and traverses opening 66 which receives conduit 58 as is clear in Fig. 6. Similarly, an exhaust port 68 extends inwardly from face 46 and communicates with chamber 22 through wall 26 in relative close proximity to slot 52 and, therefore, partition 56 on opposite sides of the latter.

In the same manner, the section 16 of casing 14. is provided with an inlet port 70 that extends inwardly from face 46 communicating with chamber 22 through wall 24, and an exhaust port 72 extending inwardly from face 46 communicates with chamber 22 through wall 24. The ports 70 and 72 are disposed in opposite sides of the partition 56 and are directly opposed to the ports 64 and 68. respectively of the wall 26.

Plate 48 covers the ports 64, 68 and 70, but is provided with an opening 74. (Fig. 7) that communicates with the port 72 and with the conduit 60. Ports 64 and 70 are interconnected by a passage 76 in the boss 44 and a passage 78 andboss 44 interconnects the ports 68 and 72.

It is now apparent that the fluid flows from conduit 58 into the chamber 22 by way of port 64 and also. from port 64, through the passage 76, and thence through the port 70 into chamber 22. The fluid is exhausted from the chamber 22 through port 68 to the passage 78 and thence to conduit 60 and is also exhausted directly from chamber 22 by way of port 72, opening 74 and COIL-l duit 60.

While as hereinabove indicated, the piston 30 is somewhat in the form of a. swash plate in that it is set obliquely on the hub 32 and, therefore, spans the distance between walls 24 and 26, it has a special configuration in that its function is to pump the fluid from conduit 58 to conduit 60 rather than for the primary purpose of reciprocating a driven element as in the case of a conventional; swash plate.

It is to be noted iiirst; that the circular periphery 80 of the piston, 30 is transversely parallel to the axis of rotationof shaft 88 and is; disposed in. close, proximity to the annular wall 28 of; chamber 22 so that at no time is any. fluid. permittedto pass from one side of the piston 30, in chamber'22 to the opposite side thereof.

Additionally, it is irnporta 'tt to. note that both of the opposed faces 82.; and 84 ofthe piston 30, are radially perpendicular throughout: the. circumferential. lengths of faces 82;; and: 84; to. the outermost annular faceof hub 32;, aswell asto. t-heannular wall 28, and, therefore, to the axis-of: rotation. ofshaft38, hub 32 and-piston-St].

.By-virtueof such relationship of-the--faces-- 82 and 84 4 to said axis of rotation, and by virtue of the fact further that the piston 30 is of uniform thickness throughout, each face 82 and 84 is substantially concave throughout approximately half of its circumferential length and substantially convex throughout approximately the remaining half of its circumferential length. Thus, the concave portion of face, 82 opposite the convex portion of the face 84.

Similarly, the convex portion of the face 82 is in opposed relationship, to. the concave portion of the face 84. Manifestly, on each face. 82 and 84, the concave portions merge gradually and progressively with the convex portions to the end that at all times within the chamber'22, there is presented a compartment of progressively decreased dimensions; as faces 34 and 36. are approached in both directions circumferentially of the annular face of hub 32. Such configuration presents, therefore, what may be termed ridges or portions which are in substantial line contact with walls 24 and 26' and which are represented in Fig. 13 by lines 86 and 88 extending radially outwardly from the 'hub 32 in perpendicular relationship to the latter and to the annular wall 28. I

In Fig. 13, the line 86 represents that part of convex portion 90 of face 82 which is in line contact with wall 24 and it is to be noted in Fig. 3 that both portions 86 and 88 are flush with corresponding faces 34 and 36 respectively of the hub 32. The numeral 92 in Fig. 13 represents the substantially semi-circular concave portion of face 82 and it is to be noted that the line contact 88 of face 84 is necessarily directly opposite the deepest area of the concave portion 92.

By virtue of the fact that the faces 82 and 84 are transversely radial to hub 32 and wall 28 throughout the lengths thereof, piston 30 is adapted to be received by a transverse slot 94 extending inwardly into the partition 56 midway between the ends thereof from the innermost longitudinal edge of partition 56, the length of the slot 94 being substantially the same as the width of the piston '30. It is noted in Fig. 10 that the partition 56 is beveled in opposite directions throughout the length of slot 94 to present relatively sharp, elongated edges 96 and 98 which are in substantial line contact with faces 82 and 84 of piston 30.

It is to be preferred that partition 56 be made from a pair ofidentical face-to-face plates 100 and 102 heljd biased in opposite directions by coil springs 104 and 106 therebetween, one on each side respectively of the slot 94. Suitable cavities 108 and 110 are formed in partition 56 to house the springs 104 and 106 in alignment with the direction of reciprocation of partition 56. It is to be noted that spring 104-has its outermost end attached to plate 100, and its innermost end attached to plate 102. Conversely, the outermost end of the spring 106' is secured to plate 102 and the inner end, thereof is suitably aflixed to the plate 100. Accordingly, the attenuated springs 10'4 and 106 bias the plates 100 and 102 in opposite directions, thereby compensating for wear along edges 96 and 98 and always maintaining plate 100 in contact with face 82 and plate 102'in contact wtih face 84 of piston 30.

In operation, during continuous rotation of the, piston 30 anticlockwise, viewing Figs. 4, 7' and 13, let it be assumed that line 88 is coincident with the partition 56 and about tov trav r e the intake port 64 of wall 26. As the line 88 moves toward the position illustrated in Fig. 13, the space within chamber 22, between. line 88 and the partition 56 and between the concavity of face 84 and wall 26, progressively increases; in volume,

thereby drawing fluid thereinto from intake port: 64.

By the time line 88 has. rotated anticlockwise. from the position shown in Fig. 13, to the end of its intake stroke again in alignment. with partition 56, the concavity of face 84 will have been completely filled with fluid and" such: fluidw'illv be carriedcircumferentiall-y around U the wall 28 into the exhaust port 68 as soon as the line 88 again traverses the inlet 64.

Consequently, at all times face 84 is eflective in drawing fluid into the chamber 22 while it simultaneously forces fluid therefrom. The fluid contained in its concavity is confined between portion or line 88 and the left face of partition 56, viewing Fig. 13. Thus, when the concavity of face 84 commences to communicate with the intake port 64, i.e., as the line 88 moves from pa-rtition 56 to the intake port 64, such concavity will have been exhausted of fluid and the resultant reduced pres sure therein causes the fluid to flow from conduit 58 and into the chamber 22 between face 84 and wall 26 via intake port 64.

The intake and exhaust strokes of the face 82 of piston 30 operate in the same manner and need not be repeated, except to point out that the operations of faces 82 and 84 are in converse relationship. In other words, as face 84 commences its intake stroke, face 82 is approaching the completion of its intake stroke and, therefore, fluid flows simultaneously into both sections of the chamber 22 on opposite sides of the piston '30 virtually without interruption, except only for the extreme small interval of time during which line. portion 88 moves from partition 56 to intake 64 and line portion 86 moves from partition 56 to intake 70.

Conversely, fluid flows continuously from both sections of the compartment 22 except only for the small interval of time during which the lines 86 and 88 move from their outlets 72 and 68 respectively to and across the partition 56. Accordingly, there is a continuous non-pulsating, even flow of fluid through the pump with virtually no change in volume, pressure or velocity during continuous rotation of the piston 30 within chamber 22.

Such results are attributed not only to the novel shape and configuration of the piston 30, but to the disposition of the intake and exhaust ports relative to partition 56 and to the way in which the partition 56 is reciprocably actuated by the piston 30 and maintains a constant line of division extending from the wall 28 to the hub element 32 where the innermost longitudinal edge of partition 56 slidably engages the hub 32 as the latter rotates and as the partition 56 reciprocates along a path of travel in alignment with the axis of th shaft 38.

If desired, the ends of slot 52 may be closed by plates attached to case 14, or by other means, and the chamber thus presented, vented so as to avoid cushioning the free action of partition or vane 56 at the ends of the latter, and the vane 56 may be wick oiled or otherwise lubricated.

The desired close proximity of the intake and exhaust ports to the vane 56 can be accomplished even more effectively, especially in larger models, by disposing the same in radial relationship to shaft 38, terminating at their innermost ends adjacent the inner edge of slot 54.

It isimportant to note that the pump is designed to eliminate all necessity for check or reed valves in the intake and exhaust ports; thus, the only moving parts are the piston assembly itself and the vane 56. And, the characteristics of vane 56 are such as to permit use of material which will not wear away faces 82 and 84 even though the piston 30 is made of aluminum or simi- 8 lar materials. Edges 9698 will actually polish faces 82 and 84 and if the thickness of piston 30 is uniform, keeping in mind its curvatures, there will be virtually no looseness of fit between vane 56 and piston *30, especially with springs 102 and 106 functioning as above described.

The pump is of such nature also that any one or more of a number of factors may be altered to change the operating performance thereof to suit intended uses. The distance between walls 24 and 26, the thickness of piston '30, the diameter of hub 32 and the diameter of wall 28 are all variable and such changes have a direct bearing on the capabilities of the pump. Such changes may be necessary when considering whether the pump is to be used to handle liquids, gases, a vaporous admixture of gas and liquid, or solely as a vacuum pump.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A rotary pump comprising in combination, a casing having a cylindrical chamber presenting a pair of opposed flat walls and an annular wall, each of the flat walls having an intake port and an exhaust port, said casing having a first passage formed therein interconnecting the intake ports and a second passage formed therein interconnecting the exhaust ports; a rotatable element carried by the casing concentric with the annular wall; a piston secured obliquely to said element for rotation therewith in saidchamber and having a circular periphery in close proximity to said annular wall; a portion of one face of said piston being in substantially line contact with one of said flat walls, a portion of the opposite face of said piston being substantially in line contact with the other flat wall; a boss extending radially from said casing, said boss being provided with a partitionreceiving slot extending outwardly from said annular wall and said flat walls having partition-receiving slots registering with the slot in said boss; and a partition disposed within said slots, said partition spanning the .distance between the flat walls and extending radially from said element to said annular wall, the intake ports being on one side of the partition and the exhaust ports on the opposite side of the partition, said partition comprising a pair of face to face plates having means yieldably biasing the same in opposite directions against the piston in alignment with the path of reciprocation of the partition, said biasing means comprising coil springs disposed in cavities bet-ween said plates, on each side of said piston receiving slot respectively and in alignment with the direction of reciprocation of said partition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 878,600 Berrenberg Feb. 11, 1908 1,172,692 Fanning Feb. 22, 1916 1,690,727 Jaworowski Nov. 6, 1928 1,690,728 Jarorowski Nov. 6, 1928 2,513,833 Winkler July 4, 1950 2,770,414 Skolnik Nov. 13, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,992 Great Britain July 6, 1899 254,356 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1948 

